Reclining chair



Feb. 19, 1957 E. M. KNABUSCH ErAL 2,781,823

RECLINING CHAIR Filed May 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Shea?l 1 Feb. 19, 1957 E. M. KNABUSCH r- TAL 2,781,823

RECLINING CHAIR Filed May 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TORS. Zing/4 frail/ m4,?) v4/lee Feb- 19, 1957 E. M. KNABuscH ETAL 2,781,823

RECLINING CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 21, 1955 Feb. 19, 1957 E. M. KNABUscH ETAL 2,781,823

RECLINING CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 21, 1953 United States Patent Mich., assignors to La-Z-Boy Chair Company, a corl.

poration of Michigan j n Application May 21,1953, senaiNo. 356,484

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) i This invention relates generally to chairs and more particularly to chairs of the type which are movable between a sitting and reclining position.

This invention is an improvement over the chair structure illustrated in applicants Patent No. 2,240,850, issued May 6, 1941, for Chair. The chair structure illustrated therein is of the type in which the chair seat and back are pivotally supported on a base and counterbalanced so that by leaning back in the chair a user may move the back downwardly and forwardly and the seat forwardly and upwardly into a reclining position, and so that by sitting up in the seat the user can return the chair to its upright sitting position. The chair is so balanced that it will not move from its sitting to reclining position unless the user applies pressure with the upper portion of his back against the chair back, adjacent the upper portion thereof, thereby permitting the chair to be used as y an inoperative, generally vertical, inconspicuous position. ,y

itis a further object of this invention to provide on opposite sides of a chair, improved fixtures for actuating the leg rest so as to raise the same when the chair is reclined, and lower the same to its inoperative position when the chair is in an upright or sitting position.

it is a still further object of this invention to provide fixtures of the aforementioned type which may be readily employed with reclining chairs of various designs and shapes. .r l Y y AIt is astill further object of this invention to provide xtures of the aforementioned type which,I when the chair is reclined, will move the leg rest outwardly away from the chair seat to properly engage the users legs or feet.

lt is a still further object of this invention to provide achair of the aforementioned type, which is rugged in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, properly balanced and attractive in appearance.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l `is a perspective view of a chair of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the chair of this invention, with the seat cushions removed for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, illustrating the leg rest and its actuating mechanism in its upright position in solid lines and in a reclined position in dot and dash lines;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, illustrating the mechanismfor ice supporting the seat and back frames on the chair base; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the links and strap as shown n Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the chair includes a stationary wooden basejorbody structure 13 having arms 15 on opposite sides thereof, front legs 17 and back legs 19, all interconnected in a rigid manner to provide a suitable chair base. A generally rectangular chair seat frame 21 is movably supported on the chair body or base 13, as is a chair back frame 23. A leg rest frame 25 is carried by the seat frame 21, as will be hereinafter described. As can be best seen in Fig. l, the chair base 13 is upholstered and a seat cushion 27 is carried by the seat frame 21, while a back cushion 29 is carried by the seat back 23. Likewise, a leg rest upholstered cushion 31 is carried by the leg rest frame 25. Thus, the chair in its finished form is completely upholstered.

r[he chair seat and back framesv are movably supported on the chair base 13 by a Xture 33 on each side of the chair. Each fixture 33 includes a parallelogram linkage structure for supporting the seat frame 21 on the base 13. This structure includes a pair of parallel, generally vertically extending links 35 and 37, which are pivotally connected at their upper ends at 39 and 41 respectively, to a horizontally extending oar 43, which is rigidly connected with the chair base. .The lower ends of links 35 and 37 are pivotally connected at 45 and 47 to a lower rigid bar 49, which is connected with the sides of the seat frame 21. The links 35 and 37, in conjunction with the upper'and lower bars 43 and 49, therefore define a parallelogram-type linkage for supporting the seat frame 21 on the base 13.

The back frame 23 is pivotally supported on the parallelogram linkage 33, through a plurality of links and pivotal connections. A rigid straplike bar 51 is rigidly connected with the vertical side frame portion of the `back frame 23 adjacent the lower end thereof, and is provided intermediate the ends thereof with a laterally projecting pin 53. A second straplike link or bar 55 has its upper end slotted or recessed to receive the pin 53,

while the lower end of link 51 is connected to the link 55 by a cap screw 57, so that the bars or links 51 and 55 function as a single link but are separable to permit the chair back to be disassembled from the chair seat when 'l the chair is shipped or stored.

, An elongated arm 59 has itsV upper back end pivotally connected at 61 to link 55.' The forward en d of link 59 is pivotally connected at 63 to the lower end of a vertically extending link 65, the upper end of which is pivoted at 39 to the rigid bar 43. A short link 67 is connected with the ypivots 63 and 45 to operatively connect the arm S9 with the parallelogram linkage.` The link 65 is provided with a projection or lanced stop 69 which'is adapted to abut the upper edge of the arm 59 when the chair is in its fully reclined position to limit the amount of reclining movement of the chair. A similar stop 71 is provided on the bar 43 for engaging parallelogram link 37 to limit the reclining movement ofthe chair. A link 73 has its lower end pivotally connected to the backend of the rigid bar 43, at 745, below the chair back and its upper end pivotally connected at 61 with the link 55 so as to connect the chair back frame 23 with the chair base or body frame 13. A link 75 operatively connects the link v moved between an upright or sitting position and a reclining position. As thechair seat frame 21 moves forwardly likewise moves upwardly, due to its, parallelogram linkage support, and the back frame 23 fulcrums about the movable pivots 61f and 77, the latter of which moves forwardly and upwardly-and the formercof-which moves forwardly and downwardly. Thus, thek chair back does not pivot about fixed points, but pivots about the forwardly moving ypivotsi6l. and 7'7 `so that'the :lower end of the chair-backframe moves forwardly and downwardly as the chairiseat frame moves forwardly and upwardly, thus maintaining a proper relationship at all times between the chair seat and back to properly support the user in allY positions.

A leg rest actuating lixturc or mechanism 8i is provided adjacenteach sideof the seat frame 21-formovably supporting leg rest frame Z5. `Each of these fixtures includes, as can be best seen-in Fig. 3, a pair oi spaced links 83 and 85, whichfare pivotally connected at S7 and 89. respectively to an `angle bracket 91 connected to the under or back side of the leg rest frame 25. The links of the fixtures Sl are adapted to extend through slots in the front wall of the seat frame 2l so that no rubbing or interference will occur between the links and the seat frame upon relative movement between the leg rest and the scat frame. `A link 93 is pivotally-connected at 95 to a rigid strap 97 secured or otherwise rigidly attached to the chair frame 2l. The link 93 is pivotally connected at its lower end at 99 to the back end of link 83 and intermediate its ends at itil to link 85 intermediate the ends thereof. A third link 103 is pivotally connected at its upper or back end at 165 to the opposite or back end of link 85 and intermediate its ends at 167 to the seat frame strap 97. The lower or forward end of link 103 is pivotally connected at 109 to the forward end of a rodlike member 111, the back or rear end of which is pivotally connected at 113 to the chair base 13.

Thus, movable and pivotal connections are provided between the links S3 and 85 and the seat frame 21 so that when the seat frame moves upwardly and forwardly, when the chair is reclined, the leg rest frame will swing upwardly and forwardly relative to the scat frame to a generally horizontal elevated position to engage the chair users legs and support the same. The movement of the links of thc fixtures 81 is illustrated in Fig. 3 and due to the fact that the rod member 111 is pivotally connected to the chair base 13, the links will rotate and be actuated about their pivots to effect a generally parallelogram type of motion for swinging the leg rest between its elevated horizontal position and its inoperative vertical position in accordance with the position of the seatV frame on the hase.

ln view of the fact that the linkage for the fixtures 8lv merely extends through openings in the front wall of the seat frame, it will be readily appreciated that the leg rest actuating mechanism can be attached to reclining easily actuate or raise the leg rest to its operative leg engaging position. In viewof the fact that the actuating mechanisms used throughout are comprised of pivotally interconnected links, the chair structure of this invention is exceptionally strong and durable and by properly locating the various pivotal points, perfect chair balance can be achieved in a relativelysimple manner.

What is claimed is:

l. In a reclining chair, a base, a seat frame, a back frame, a leg rest 'adjacent thefront of said seatframe, link means supportin'gsaid seat and back'frames' on said base for movement between a sitting and reclining position sothat when said chair isreclinod said scat frame will move forwardly and upwardly, linkage mechanism connceting said leg vrest with said seat frame so that when said chr-.ir is reclined said leg rest will move upwardly and forwardly from a generally inoperative, vertical position to a generally horizontal, operative leg supporting position, said linkage mechanism including a pair of spaced links pivotally connected with said leg rest, a second link pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof with one of-saidpair of links and adjacent one cnd of said second link with the other of said pair of links, means pivotally connecting the opposite end of said second link to said seat frame, a third link pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said seat frame and pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to said one of said pair of links, a rodlike member pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to said third link and extending within-said seat frame and having its opposite end pivotally connected to said chair base.

2. A leg rest supporting and actuating linkage mechanism for a reclining chair of the type in which the seat frame of the chair moves forwardly and upwardly when the chairis reclined and in which a leg rest is provided adjacent the front of the seat frame, said linkage mechanism including a pair of spaced links pivotally connectable to the leg rest at spaced points, a second link pivotallyconnected intermediate its ends to one of said pair of links and adjacent one end of the other of said pair of links, means for pivotally connecting the opposite end ot said second link to the seat frame, a third link pivotally connected at one end thereof to the free end of said one of saidpair of links, means for pivotally connecting said third link intermediate its ends to said seat fratrie, a rigid rodlike member pivotally connected adjacent' one end thereof to the opposite end of said third link, the opposite end of said rodlike member adapted to terminate below the seat frame, and means carried adjacent said opposite cud of said rodlike member for pivotally connecting the same to the chair base.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Y lUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,240,850 Knabusch er al. May 6, 1941 2,604,141 Maurer m-. July 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,394 sweden May 1s, 1905 

